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Rook & Gaskill, York
York
YO10 3BN
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about Rook & Gaskill
A serious drinkers' pub, which is slightly scruffy but in a nice, lived-in way and no doubt still appeals to the students. It now has 6 handpumps and a good wall of keg/key-keg taps with an excellent selection from mainly small and interesting breweries. On this visit I enjoyed an excellently-kept Wensleydale Black Dub stout. A reliable place for a good pint away from the tourists but don't expect any frills.
On 11th March 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alex Conway left this review about Rook & Gaskill
The Rooke and Gaskill was on my last time checking a partnership between Castle rock and wheyfare Bank Brewery s. for this there is always one of each brewery's beer on the bar at all times, Harvest pale seems to be a permanent fixture. They sell eight cask ales and three cask cider/perries and these are always kept in a very good condition. Their rage is one of the best in York as no multinational beers are ever found so no Bombardier or Doombar here only beers from Micro brewerys near and far. They used to all be sold at a very reasonable £2.80 a pint until very recently when the price rose to £2.90, not ideal but still very competitive. Brass castle, Roosters, Kellham Island and Great heck beers feature regularly. They also have a very good selection of keg beers from craft brewery's such as Brewdog and Sierra Nevada.
Avery good pub that gets very busy on all nights of the week. The only hindrance is the cocky attitude of the landlord on occasion who seems like a bit of a general loud mouth show off. His sometimes overly forward/ sarcastic attitude infuriates customers and brings the professionalism and invite of the great pub down, but that is not to mock his staff who are some of the best and friendliest I have came across in York.
On 12th March 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 457 recommendations about 457 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about Rook & Gaskill
The Rook and Gaskin is a thin pub with seating areas at the front and rear and a bar on the left hand wall that faces seating up the right wall. I counted eleven hand pumps and many premium keg fonts. There was some background music playing and a plasma screen on the rear wall was switched off. I found the barman to be extremely friendly and he informed me that this is a popular student haunt. There were no students during my recent Friday afternoon visit as they were all on Easter holidays.
This is a decent pub where I had a very enjoyable visit.
On 25th April 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5254 recommendations about 5222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Rook & Gaskill
Nice unpretentious pub just outside the city walls. Bit of a walk to get here but worth it as part of a treble with the Rose and Crown and Wagon and Horses on the other side of Lawrence Street.
The pub has been well described by previous reviewers and the decent beer range for the Pubs Galore crawl as detailed by reviewers below. I went for the Great Heck Treason Stout and a fine choice it was too..
On 19th April 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2111 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Rook & Gaskill
Inconspicuous pub, located just outside the city walls. Comprises one elongated room, with one step up to the bar, two steps up to the rear seating area, and another up to the toilets. Fairly plain but traditional furniture and decor. Eight real ales on handpump, including Jolly Sailor Cue Brew (£1.40 half). Only had time for a quick stop, but would certainly walk out this way again since there are also a couple of other decent pubs nearby too.
On 16th April 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Rook & Gaskill
A freehouse, located just outside the city walls. A long narrow interior (two level, up a small step - beware!) with a rear room housing some breweriana and a small decked smoking area, replete with previous macabre pub sign of a hanging (see Maldenman and PSM’s review for the linkage). Traditionally furnished. Of note is the terrazzo floor, you don’t see many of those in good nick nowadays. Eight ales on and a decent selection, alongside three proper ciders. Not the best start when my Great Heck stout had to go back as it was a soupy murk (end of barrel, I assume) but was exchanged without fuss for a good Castle Rock Pale. Of note was that all the ales were a wallet-friendly £2.80. Makes for a nice treble-header with the Rose and the Waggon after a good few minutes walk out of town.
On 5th April 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Rook & Gaskill
This was my first pub of the PuG crawl, and it was good to start on a high. My pint of Acorn Eggcracker was superb, as was the price of £2.80 a pint. Mrs R also thought the Pinot Grigio was pretty good as well. But there was no food at Friday lunchtime unfortunately, although I did see food advertised, available in the evenings presumably.
This pub is traditionally furnished - I did see a barrel doing service as a tall table, but otherwise it was a bit of banquette seating, normal tables and small stools. This felt like a real, unpretentious pub. I would be delighted to have this one as my local.
On 2nd April 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Rook & Gaskill
A bit of walk from the centre and outside the walls this is a decent pub with a good selection of ales. This visit had Revolution Debaser, Jolly Sailor Cue Brew, Roosters Azzaca (superb), Acorn Eggcracker, Great Heck Treason Stout, Town House Armstrong Ale, Castle Rock Harvest Pale, and Wharfe Bank Yorkshire IPA. All the beers were £2.80 irrespective of ABV, how good is that? Additionally ciders from Moonshine, Jumping Jack and a dubious strawberry version from Mr Whiteheads.
The pub is poignantly named after Peter Rook and Leonard Gaskill, they were executed for stealing sheep back in the day, you'd probably get a community order now.
You enter to a mosaic stone floored room, similar to the York Tap, the front area has an exposed brick fireplace with a pair of model petrol pumps on top, a mural of a Lambretta scooter on the wall, up a step to the bar area where the room extends back and reveals cases of cricket, rugby and snooker artefacts. Some wood panelling here and there and a beamed ceiling around the bar area.
There are games on a cupboard top, plus bagatelle and shove ha'penny boards on another ledge.
Another very acceptable York pub.
On 30th March 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Rook & Gaskill
Long split narrow bar, I counted 11 hand pumps, 8 ales and 3 Ciders all the ales were more than reasonably priced at £2.80 a pint,there was also a menu of craft ales a little more expensive all in 3 pound something bracket, far cheaper than we tend to see down south.Yet again all beers appeared to be in great condition, a feature I noticed in most of the York pubs on my visit. A great addition to any pub crawl.
On 28th March 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Rook & Gaskill
Interior as described below. 10 real ales on during my visit.
On 16th May 2013
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]